Piaget

Piaget's excellence in the disciplines of haute joaillerie and haute horlogerie, finds ultimate expression in their jeweled timepieces. 




Ref. GOA31105 and GOA31107.

The fusion of Piaget's twin passions gives birth to watches that are horologically and aesthetically exceptional.  Many of these pieces are designated for women, and carry a gentler, more whimsical sensibility, but others like the Altiplano Pocket Watch and Altiplano with flinqué dial (Piaget offers both gem-set and non-jeweled variants) are perfect sartorial accompaniments for any gentleman. 




As we have learned from previous PuristSPro articles on the history of Piaget, the manufacture has been designing and producing movements (originally sold to other prestigious brands like Audemars Piguet, Cartier, and Rolex amongst others) since the late 1800s.  It was not until the early 1900s that Piaget decided to release watches under its own company name.  Today, Piaget is rightfully famous for their aesthetically pleasing, thin, and beautifully constructed movements -- conceived, developed, and built in-house.

In 2006, Piaget released a new ultra-thin movement (at 2.1 mm thick), the Manufacture Piaget caliber 450P, a hand-wound mechanical movement displaying the hours, minutes, and eccentric small seconds at 10 o'clock. 



This mechanical movement is a direct descendant of earlier celebrated Piaget movements such as the 9P, 12P, and 430P. 



Fulfillment of Piaget's creed, “Faire toujours mieux que nécessaire” ("Always do better than necessary") is achieved through a strategy that combines adherence to traditional aspects of watchmaking, with research into new techniques to develop the next generation of ultra-thin movements.  Both the 430P and 450P are concrete examples of this process in action.  The lovely timepieces pictured in this article are proof that Piaget continues to honor its long legacy of creating mechanically significant and authentically creative watches.   













Ref. G0A30022.  Piaget boutique exclusive "fingerprint motif" Altiplano in diamond-set white gold.  Each piece is unique and reproduces its owner’s fingerprint on the dial.  Inside beats the caliber 430P.


Ref. GOA33175.  18 carat white gold gem-set ribbon motif on the dial.  Here's a nice capture from our Piaget forum moderator, MTF, of an unusual piece "out in the wild" as opposed to a press photo.  Very nice!

Piaget successfully showcases a diversity of creative themes with its jeweled Altiplano watches.  There is something for all, whether you prefer a more whimsical design, elegant flinqué enamel, or a truly eye-popping example of gem-setting (and personalization) in the "fingerprint motif" Altiplano.  I am also pleased to see that Piaget thinks well enough of its female clientele to provide them with watches that are feminine yet mechanically outstanding.  The fact that every piece showcased here (other than the tourbillon and Double Jeu) houses either the caliber 430P or caliber 450P, both ultra-thin, in-house movements, decorated with circular-grained plate, beveled bridges, blued screws and circular Côtes de Genève, indicates that the manufacture does not view ladies watches as mere afterthoughts.

What's my favorite gem-set Piaget from the Altiplano collection, you ask?  That's easy!  It's this beauty:


To read my previously published on-the-wrist review of the Piaget Altiplano Double Jeu please click here .

Thanks for reading!
Daos

 

 

PIAGET Altiplano Saga series:

Part 1 - The World is Not Thin Enough – Manual 9P movement:
piaget.watchprosite.com   

Part 2  – GoldenEye – Automatic 12P movement:
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 3 – For Your Eyes Only – Enamel Altiplanos:
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 4 – From La Côte-aux-Fées, With Love – Diamonds Are Forever (Exceptional Altiplanos):
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 5 – The Living Daylights – Skeleton Altiplanos:
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 6  – Never Say Never Thin Again – Automatic 1200P/1208P movements
piaget.watchprosite.com

Part 7  – Quantum of Solace – Special Altiplanos and Updates
piaget.watchprosite.com  

 

This message has been edited by MTF on 2013-09-16 05:36:35

I really like G0A32082, perhaps the first time in a long time that a ladies watch has really jumped out at me. Sadly SFWIBW (She for whom I buy watches) prefers a smaller size. It's a pitty there isn't a 34mm model like that w/o diamonds. In any case, good work Piaget

A
ps the square tourbillon is pretty cool too

I love their translucence and the depth of their dials.  Maybe Piaget will read your note and consider a smaller non-jeweled version!  I like the purple dial a lot too.

Cheers,
Daos

aaron,

 

Ref. G0A32082 is classed as an 'exceptional' watch in Piaget-speak.

The dial is not engraving but enamel-work.

Officially, the watch is 'gents' size' (38 mm) but these days, ladies can wear 40+ mm diameter. It is....er.....unisex!

 

MTF

This message has been edited by MTF on 2010-11-02 09:12:43

I believe the dial is both engraved and enameled. From the description it appears to be what enamelers refer to as "guilloche enamel" that is the plate is engine turned and then the translucent enamel is layered on over top, Faberge-like

A

aaron,

 

Thanks for the explanation..  The best of both techniques.  The enamelling is amazing; so thin and still almost iridescent.

 

Regards,

MTF

Jus dun let me wife see this. The sunburst like guilloché  looks amazing !!

Doesn't your wife deserve a little something special though?  A new Piaget might be just the ticket!  LOL!

Cheers,
Daos

No message body

arthur,

Ref. G0A32082 is classed as an 'exceptional' watch in Piaget-speak.

Officially, the watch is "gents' size" (38 mm) but these days, ladies can wear 40+ mm diameter.

It is....er.....unisex!

 

MTF

This message has been edited by MTF on 2010-11-02 09:13:14

No message body

arthur,

I don't know the modern vernacular, for I am old...like Father William.

MTF

 

You Are Old, Father William

by Lewis Carroll

'You are old, Father William', the young man said,
   'And your hair has become very white;
And yet you incessantly stand on your head --
   Do you think, at your age, it is right?'

'In my youth', Father William replied to his son,
   'I feared it might injure the brain;
But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none,
   Why, I do it again and again.'

'You are old', said the youth, 'as I mentioned before,
   And have grown most uncommonly fat;
Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door --
   Pray, what is the reason of that?'

'In my youth', said the sage, as he shook his grey locks,
   'I kept all my limbs very supple
By the use of this ointment - one shilling the box -
   Allow me to sell you a couple?'

'You are old', said the youth, 'and your jaws are too weak
   For anything tougher than suet;
Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak -
   Pray, how did you manage to do it?'

'In my youth', said his father, 'I took to the law,
   And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw,
   Has lasted the rest of my life.'

'You are old', said the youth, 'one would hardly suppose
   That your eye was as steady as ever;
Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose -
   What made you so awfully clever?'

'I have answered three questions, and that is enough,'
   Said his father, 'don't give yourself airs!
Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?
   Be off, or I'll kick you downstairs!'

The piece is not intended to be a ladies' watch.  I think it is very appropriate for a man...or for today's modern woman.  Goodness knows there are plenty of ladies wearing 44mm Panerais nowadays. 

Cheers,
Daos

...is a stunner! I'm only a fan of diamonds on ladies watches and this may be the best presentation I've seen in quite some time. My other all-time favorite is a Blancpain that a friend owns. Ladies annual calendar with moon phase and diamonds for the markers. She bought if almost 20 years ago and I haven't seen a nicer women's watch yet....

...is an amazing piece.  The diamonds are impeccably set and then there's the added fun of having a hidden dial underneath the top one.  I think it's one of Piaget's best designs.

Cheers,
Daos